A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to access control systems for counting events and more specifically to photocopy counters and access controllers.
B. Background Art
Photocopies have become a major factor in office overhead costs. With increased speed in copiers today, numerous copies may be made by any user having access to a copier. Since such access is not controlled, copying expenses may multiply rapidly. Furthermore, if many users are permitted access to the copier, an accounting of how many copies are made by each user is difficult, if not impossible.
Prior systems have been developed to prevent unauthorized users from gaining access to the copier and also count the number of copies made by each user. One such prior system is System 80 Transaction Recorder, manufactured by Danyl Corporation, Pennsauken, N.J., the assignee of this application.
In order to count the number of copies made by the user, these prior systems rely on a copy pulse outputted from the photocopier. Such pulse is present whenever a photocopy is made by the machine. By counting the number of copy pulses present, the prior systems determine the number of copies made. The prior systems, however, leave much to be desired. Since each photocopier generates unique copy pulse characteristics, each of the prior systems has to be specially configured to interface with the idiosyncracies of the photocopier. Such task is complicated since copy pulses vary in amplitude and duration from one copier to another. Moreover, prior systems are susceptible to the presence of noise on the copy pulse lines, thereby erroneously counting pulses.
Prior systems also have the ability to prevent unauthorized users from accessing the photocopier. Users are prevented from accessing the copier by the use of badge reader devices or personal account number verification devices. Unless a user has a valid badge or an authorized account number, access is denied. Here too, prior systems leave much to be desired. Badge reader devices have been known to be inaccurate, sometimes having problems identifying a particular badge. Also, account number verification devices have proven to be cumbersome to update, being difficult to modify old account numbers or add new account numbers.
In addition, it has been difficult to examine each individual account number and view its current copy status. The user has had difficulty in determining how many copies he has made and how many more are allotted to him. Also, if the user exceeded his copy count limit, the controller disabled the copier in the midst of the transaction, thereby sometimes jamming the copier.
During set-up conditions, whereby the user initializes, denies or permits access to an account, changes copy count limits, etc., the menu to perform various functions has also been inadequate. For example, it has not been possible to examine accounts at random or sort it for sequential examination.
Yet another deficiency has been the inadequate protection given to the guarding of memory in the controller system. Since it is desirable to maintain account status in a random access memory (RAM) for as long as a month, protection of the RAM is paramount. Prior systems have been known to inadvertently destroy RAM memory during processor failure.
Prior photocopy control systems also exist which have a microcomputer that interacts with peripheral devices, such as a keyboard, a display or a badge reader. However, these systems required cumbersome interfaces so that the microcomputer could communicate with these peripherals. Communications was thus slow and inefficient.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to improve on all of the above deficiencies and obtain a much better photocopy controller.